The world's first single-dose COVID-19 vaccine may soon be available to you and your family. New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson is asking the FDA for emergency use of its shot.

News 12's Elizabeth Hashagen was joined by Dr. Sharon Nachman this morning to answer your COVID-19 questions. Dr. Nachman is the head of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children's Hospital, and director of the office of clinical trials.

How soon could you get one of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine?

The FDA scheduled a meeting with its outside advisory panel, which will vote on Feb. 26 on whether the agency should authorize the vaccine, according to people familiar with the planning.

That leaves regulators about three weeks to pore over a large and complex application that includes clinical and manufacturing data. A decision on whether to authorize the vaccine could come within days of that meeting.

The critical shot could be approved as soon as 12 days from now, and shots would likely start being distributed just two days after. Dr. Nachman talks about all the steps it takes to get a vaccine approved:

What is some of the information experts will look at to approve the vaccine? Dr. Nachman answers:

How are the coronavirus variants different, and how they develop? Dr. Gregory Poland, from the Mayo Clinic, explains how the virus mutates below: